United Kingdom

Low birthweight babies

Key points

  • Over the last decade, there has been a small increase in the proportion of babies in England and Wales who are of low birthweight.
  • Babies from manual backgrounds are somewhat more likely to have a low birthweight than those from non-manual backgrounds: 8% compared to 6½%.
  • Babies of lone parents are more likely to be of low birthweight than babies of couples: 10% compared to 7%.
  • All of these differences have persisted for at least the last decade.
  • The proportion of babies who are of low birthweight is similar in all regions of the UK.
  • See the equivalent analysis for Scotland.

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Graph 1: Over time

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Graph 2: By family type

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Graph 3: By region

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View an interactive map at local authority district level (opens in a new window).

Download a spreadsheet with the district-level statistics

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Why this indicator was originally chosen

The rates of death and illness associated with low birth weight reflect both its immediate and its long-term health risks to the infant.  It is closely correlated with poor health in the first four weeks of life, and with death before the age of two years; there are also associations with premature death from coronary artery disease. Spencer, N, Poverty and child health, Radcliffe Press, 1996, page 112.

Low birth weight is also associated with delayed physical and intellectual development in early childhood, and in adolescence. Carr-Hill, R, The Measurement of Inequalities in Health: Lessons from the British Experience, Social Science and Medicine, 31(3), 1990, pages 393-404.  Cerebral palsy, sight and hearing defects, and hernias are all more common in low birth weight babies. Botting, B (ed) The Health of our children, Decennial Supplement Series DS No 11, 1995, page 71.

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Definitions and data sources

The first graph shows the proportion of babies born each year who are defined as having a low birth weight, i.e. less than 2½ kilograms (5½ lbs).  The proportions are shown separately for babies according to the social class of the father.  The social class classifications for 2002 onwards are different from those used in earlier years and range from 1 (higher managerial and professional) to 8 (never worked and long-term unemployed).

The data is for live-births only (i.e. it excludes still-births).  It is based on a 10% sample coded to father's occupation and excludes sole registrations by mothers.

The second graph shows, for the latest year, how the proportion of babies who are of low birthweight varies according to the parents' living status at the time of the registration of birth.  The data is based on a 100% count of live births.

The data source for the first two graphs is ONS DH3 childhood, infant and perinatal mortality statistics and relates to England and Wales.

The third graph shows how the proportion of babies who are of low birthweight varies by region.

The data source for the third graph is the ONS publication Key population and vital statistics.  The data is for 2006 (except for Scotland where it is for 2005).

Overall adequacy of the indicator: limited.  The data itself is large and reputable, but classification by the social class of the father may be problematic since those where no details are known about the father are not included at all.

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External links

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Relevant 2007 Public Service Agreements

None directly relevant.

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Relevant government policies

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The numbers

Graph 1

Year Social classes I to IIINM Social classes IIIM to V
1995 6.2% 7.9%
1996 6.3% 7.7%
1997 6.3% 7.8%
1998 6.3% 8.3%
1999 6.3% 8.5%
2000 6.4% 8.2%
2001 6.4% 8.5%
Social classes 1-4 Social classes 5-8
2002 6.6% 8.5%
2003 6.7% 8.5%
2004 6.6% 8.2%
20056.4% 8.6%
20066.6% 8.1%

Graph 2

Marriage status

1996
Joint registration, same address 7.0%
Joint registration, different addresses 9.4%
Registered solely by the mother 10.4%
Total 7.5%

Graph 3

East 6.9%
East Midlands 7.7%
London 7.9%
North East 8.1%
North West 7.8%
Northern Ireland 6.3%
Scotland 7.2%
South East 6.9%
South West 6.5%
Wales 7.3%
West Midlands 8.4%
Yorkshire and The Humber 8.0%

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